i really do like the use of hybrid LB's like coleman and baker against the spread and spread option. playing LB takes as much smarts as it does ability. i don't find our guys flying to the ball as much like lasalle said but the play is much improved over last year. honestly i'd just be a whole lot happier if the entire defense just stopped missing tackles so frequently. i mean even saban's defenses blew coverage every once and a while. but the fundamental stuff drives me crazy.
Overall I think the LBs are doing a solid job. Coleman and Riley have improved and played well as a whole. I know a lot of people dont like how Riley has played in coverage but he was in pretty good position on many of the completions against Miss St, just good passes. Another thing is pass defense also depends on pass rush. I think overall DL is the weakest link. I think Sheppard has so much potential but he doesnt seem to get it. He takes the worse angles and is a poor tackler. The LBs could all take better angles(has improved a lot the last few games) and definitely tackle better. I too think Baker should be getting more PT. He would be better in coverage than the huge Riley. He also appears to be a better tackler than Sheppard. At least in his special teams play.
So next season, we lose Riley and Coleman, and Cutrera. Coleman is the guy that brings the hurt, he will be missed. So we have Baker, and K Shep as the guys with experience. I'm sure Mingo will earn a starting position next year, who else gets significant playing time? Its kind of troubling that we are only going to have 2 guys with game experience, 1 of them who has very little experience in Baker, even though he will be fine. I cant wait to see what Chavis does with the young linebackers.
Hats off the Linebackers, they played lights out today. Riley played good, Sheppard was all over the place making tackles, Cutrera had some big plays early in the game, and Coleman did as well. You guys stepped it up tonight, and deserve to be congratulated.
